Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital are partnering with Johnson & Johnson to develop the test to find cancer cells shed from tumors.

Cells can travel to other areas of the body through blood. The liquid biopsy may be more convenient than taking tissue samples and may give doctors better information about the aggressiveness of the cancer and how well treatment efforts are working.

The experimental test has the potential to transform care for many types of cancer, including common killers like breast, prostate, colon and lung cancers.